As the world marks World Population Day 2025, key stakeholders in Nigeria have called on leaders to prioritize young people’s reproductive health and rights.
The theme for this year’s celebration, “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world,” highlights the need to equip youths with accurate information and access to sexual and reproductive health services.
The Country Director of The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Nigeria Hub, Dr. Taiwo Johnson, emphasized that empowering youth with knowledge is both a health and rights issue.
TCI, supported by the Gates Foundation and Bayer, has been scaling up programs like Life Planning for Adolescents and Youth (LPAY), offering sexuality education and youth-friendly services across several states.
Stakeholders stressed that despite progress since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, many youths still face barriers such as stigma and lack of access to services.
Social media, community leaders, and trained health workers are now key in tackling these challenges.
The Executive Director of PHSAI, Abiodun Ajayi, urged continued investment in education, health systems, and youth-focused policies.
Similarly, DevComs Programme Officer Suliyat Eletu called on government, civil society, and the media to scale up advocacy for youth wellbeing.
The message remains clear, supporting young people to make informed decisions about their health and families is essential for Nigeria’s development and global progress.
REL/USMAN MZ
